Horse blankets are commonly used to protect horses from cold, wind, rain, or heat. A conventional blanket, such as that shown in US 2005/0126134, is made in one piece, covers the chest, the back, and the sides of the horse, and has attachment means arranged on the chest and side sections of the blanket.
One disadvantage with such a blanket is that the blanket restricts the horse's movements and often leads to chafing at certain pressure points. A further disadvantage is that wind and precipitation can slip in under the blanket, since the blanket is not very form-fitted to the shape of the horse.
An improved horse blanket is shown in US 2011/0185688, wherein the blanket is split into front and rear sections which are connected to each other by a flexible joint. This flexible joint facilitates movement such that the horse is less restricted by the blanket than compared to a conventional blanket.